Windy Valley Muskox

I stumbled upon this site while surfing the crochet web.

I had never heard of this beast before...

Musk Ox are actually not ox but relative of goats (says Sonny Xiao-zhe). They're the living fossile from the ice age. They're well adapted to extremely cold weather. The soft under wool of the ox, called qiviut, are 7 times warmer than wool of the same weight. Musk ox was extinct in Alaska in 1856, due to excessive hunting. It was only after 1930 when musk ox was back to Alaska (the Federal Government imported 34 of them from Greenland). Now muskox is farmed to produce qiviut.

When you click "qiviut" at Windy Valley, here's what you read :

The fine undercoat of the muskox is called qiviut (kiv-ee-ute) in the Eskimo language, which is translated as down or underwool. Qiviut is naturally a soft grayish-brown color, and is one of the warmest and most luxurious fibers in the world.

Eight times warmer than wool and finer than cashmere, qiviut is hypoallergenic and will not shrink. Extremely rare, it is one of the most luxurious fibers you can choose for a garment. In contrast to wool, qiviut is soft, non-irritating to the skin, and is very durable. Qiviut garments are worn for years and can be hand washed in mild detergent. It does not shed, is odorless and retains warmth even when wet. It is an extremely warm, yet lightweight fiber that preserves heat in the winter, while also providing cool, breathable comfort in warmer weather.

For your creation, choose from the soft natural hue of the muskox or magnificent jewel tones available only through Windy Valley, unmatched by other qiviut providers.

Enough said. Now this is to be quickly added to my "stash to be" list! And if you think the Muskox is cuddly, you may buy this one :